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Detail Pages
The Bull Inn, Chichester
Chichester
PO19 1JW
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about The Bull Inn
The Bull is a fairly unassuming pub which doesn’t really invite entry positioned dead opposite the market square. But, as others have mentioned, its focus on real ale has positioned it as one of the should-visit pubs when in Chichester. The two front door entrances both lead into the single roomed internal space with central wraparound bar. The left hand side is the smarter side and then the right side is a bit plainer and from here an entrance leads to the small covered outdoor area that connects to a meeting room at the back.
As previously mentioned the interior is a bit plain but efforts have been made to add interest mainly by the sizeable pump clips and beer mat collection around the main bar and on the walls of the right hand section and the ceiling of the area to the left has been decorated with a collection of potato mashers for some reason.
But the main reason to visit comes from the six ale pumps available and for my visit Darkstar Pale Ale, Arundel Sussex Gold, Gadds no 7 Pale Bitter and Seasider and Franklins Brewery’s 1066 and Grumpy Guvnor were available and all the ones we tried were very well kept. And although we didn’t try them the pub also offers a good range of local O'Hagans sausages and a sausage and pint menu is available.
I enjoyed my visit here and was very comfortable to spend time enjoying the beers. But to prove that what makes a good pub is very subjective, my good lady voted this as her least favourable of all the pubs we visited in Chichester as she didn’t like the toilets or the way fag smells wafted in from the outside space and didn’t consider it particularly clean and overall a bit tacky. None of which I noticed of course as I just stared at the enormous beer mat collection mentally ticking off how many I have tried
On 20th June 2014
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2111 recommendations about 1992 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
paulof horsham left this review about The Bull Inn
After a day's extensive research, I can report that The Bull is very much the pick of Chichester's pubs for both the casual and the enthusiastic ale drinker. We found half a dozen pumps serving up beers from all over Sussex, plus a lone interloper from across the border in Hampshire. The chatty landlord was, at the time of our visit, researching a microbrewery in Lincolnshire, so it's clear that there is enthusiasm for good beer on both sides of the bar.
I'm not a regular visitor to the county town but, when I'm next around, I'd be keen to see what;s new in the Bull.
On 27th December 2011
- rating: 8
[User has posted 453 recommendations about 425 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john mcgraw left this review about The Bull Inn
Recently re-furbished single bar free house selling a good selection of local real ales and very good local sausages.
On 25th July 2011
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2044 recommendations about 2025 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Bull Inn
A revitalised freehouse with a previously chequered history. Six pumps with five ales on (Hop Back GFB, Hepworth Prospect, Dark Star Over the Moon, Arundel Sussex Best and a WJ King beer I forgot to note). I tried three of the ales and was impressed by the quality – the Dark Star especially was outstanding. Some of us spoke to the guv’nor, who revealed that he doesn’t stock many strong beers as he doesn’t like them much! The place is run by the local sausage maker O’Hagan’s and their wares are available for purchase from a chiller as well as being available cooked in hot dogs etc for pub grub (wish I had sampled). There was also what I think were home-made pork scratchings, presumably theirs also. The horseshoe-shaped interior has a mish-mash of styles, some invariably leftovers from previous incarnations. The left hand side has attractive old-style wallpaper and fabric banquette seating as well as a collection of potato mashers hanging from an RSJ. A basic rear garden is accessible from the more spartan right hand side of the pub (which is where the bar and chiller are situated). Piped music is courtesy of the local radio station. Whilst the interior isn’t much to write home about, the making of this place is the ale which makes it an essential stop-off for the discerning punter. A bit more imagination with the décor would do wonders.
On 18th July 2011
- rating: 8
[User has posted 5089 recommendations about 5072 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Old Blue left this review about The Bull Inn
This is now a free house presenting itself as a 'real ale and sausages' house. Six handpumps at the bar, and barrels behind, with regularly changing interesting ales. Been in several times over the last few days and had Oakleaf's Quercus Folium, Dark Star American Pale Ale, WJ King's Spring Ale, Hopback Entire Stout, one from Harlow's and probably a couple of others I can't recall. All very tasty.
The right hand side of the pub has a 'sausage shop' counter selling O'Hagan's sausages, which also feature highly (amongst other things: it isn't just sausages) in the pub menu. Most basic meal is a hot dog with onions at £3.50, for which you can pick any two of the nine sausages in the range. We tried wild boar and calvados, venison and redcurrant, and 'satan's sausage' which is chilli hot. Mouthwateringly good.
Relaxed, friendly atmosphere and good service abounded. There is also a smallish beer garden out the back, very nice on a hot day.
Real ale and sausages. Delicious. What more can I say?
On 22nd May 2011
- rating: 9
[User has posted 271 recommendations about 270 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
I L left this review about The Bull Inn
A few years ago this pub became run down then boarded up. Now it has been modernised inside with both sofas, high stools and tables plus ome more ordinary seating and tables. Part bare wood and parted carpeted floors. A wood burner was in use in the original fireplace. The central bar has four real les on with one served on gravity, Hop Back GFB at time of this visit. The Weltons Orion ale was well kept and Adams Old the next one to try. Well worth visiting when in the area.
Update in April 2011 - 7 ales available with 2 on gravity. The Langhams Sundowners was very nice.
On 2nd April 2011
- rating: 8
[User has posted 287 recommendations about 284 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Michael Wright left this review about The Bull Inn
Opposite the market, friendly enough pub, one surprise was London Pride in a wooden barrel behind the bar, so had one of those, nice & nutty flavour, £2.90 a pint
Serves food in normal pub grub type, nothing fancy from what i saw on menu but reasonably priced, not tried it
On 4th May 2009
- rating: 8
[User has posted 526 recommendations about 382 pubs]